A New Beginning
by Dagger Tribal
Summary: With the returning production of Mist the world isn't exactly at peace as they once thought. Can Garnet find true happiness and a lost love, or will she loose her sanity, and even possibly the crown in the process? ZidXDag - Possible Adult Content.
1. Chapter 1

A small draft made its way through stale air. Cold, but only enough to lift a strand of hair.

Continuous dripping from afar left an echo throughout the area.

A cave? Darkness was overbearing, or can you just not see? Open your eyes, are you scared?

Or are you even alive?

Exhale.

Is this dripping of water?

...Or of Blood?

...  
...

"Your Majesty?"

"Has it only been two years? It feels so much longer..." An older Garnet sat in a large cherry wood seat before a stack of papers. Long hair over her right shoulder drifted down past her lap, clipped together with a silver barrette. The proud Knight before her shifted his weight, making his armour clank throughout the room and hallway.

"It's starting to grow larger, Your Majesty. Some of the reports rumour that even Mist is in the wake." A proud Steiner stood tall and expressionless to the situation at hand. Right now the topic was sensitive. The last place they had all congregated... the last place they had seen _him_;

"The Iifa Tree." Garnet said as expressionless as the Knight's demeanor. "We knew that there would be Mist still lingering but the Tree had supposedly halted all production of Mist. Are you sure there hasn't just been unusual weather to have caused such a large amount of mist to start showing up within the areas?"

"The reports have made clear that no unusual weather patterns have been noted in the area. Just the same old dry terrain as usual, your highness."

"I see..." She stood up slowly with a now sullen look," Well if no one has visited the tree directly we have no choice but to investigate these allegations ourselves."

"Your Majesty, I understand your... concern, but if the locals aren't visiting because of the Mist then maybe it isn't a good idea for yourself to go such an unknown and now potentially dangerous location. After all, the only proof they have are just some larger and possibly older roots from the tree that could just be uprooting from age and now possibly decay." Steiner watched as his Queen gathered her stack of papers and tapped them on the cherry wood table that matched the chair she had been sitting in.

"All the more reason to investigate, Steiner. Besides, I might as well get one last trip in," She stood, a glum look on her face, "At least before the wedding."

"But, My Queen..." Steiner backed away as she made her way out of the office and into the hallway.

Garnet could feel it herself. How droll she was; how she felt. It was the day before their last departure two years ago, before and unknown final goodbye. After the first year it became easy to fake a smile in her times of sorrow. Heavy repairs and obligations to the people had kept her busy. Her people loved her, even adored her. Though this week was tough. It felt as if she had no energy to invest into her work and duty. It was hard; hard for everyone.

A low rumble echoed throughout the castle as Garnet looked out the windows to rain hitting the ground, as if to reflect her very mood. She continued her way through the castle till she met Beatrix at the entrance way to her room.

The Castle had been remodeled near completely in the past two years since repairs began. For much of it she spent her time in Lindblum with her Uncle and his family. Together, with some of the finest architects in the city, they managed to blueprint a new and more elegant Castle. Additionally, the interior had been selected to reflect a more romantic atmosphere and designed with roses in memento of her deceased mother. Inside the Castle had a fresh scent of roses throughout the halls and out to the middle court where the Walls had been rebuilt around the rose garden where Garnet's mother had been put to rest. They made sure to adorn every vase available with the freshest roses wherever the Queen would be.

"Your Majesty," Beatrix saluted, "I presume you're done with today's activities?"

"There is still work to be done, but I think I shall call off the rest till tomorrow." The dark circles under the young, yet more experienced Queen's eyes said the rest. Knowing the stress of the week, Beatrix nodded and took the paper work from the tired girl, escorting her down the corridors to her room.

"I've already requested the staff draw a hot bath for you in anticipation of your early retire, Your Highness. It should be ready for you now, if you'd like any assistance." The General watched the girl manage a soft smile, giving her an assured nod.

"Thank you Beatrix, I believe I'll be fine by myself for now. I think it's time for a few moments by myself, if only for a short while." She lifted the skirts of her dress as the General saluted in dismissal and left the girl behind now closed doors.

She made her way quickly into the heart of her room and took a deep breath, managing to wring herself free of the formal white gown. With only trinkets holding her hair in, she pulled them free and let her hair fall loosely. Two years and the hair had grown back to its original length, long and all down along her back. She ran her fingers through it as if to air it out, slowly feeling the strands layer down and across her skin. Quickly kicking her feet free of her formal slippers she wiggled her toes and tapped her feet on the floor.

A cool breeze from a private open balcony drafted into the room and wisped her hair ever so lightly. Her room was large and spacious, but due to daily obligations it was no more than a room for sleep. The large bed took up space directly across the private balcony against the wall to an adjoining bathroom on the other side. The walls were painted a deep red and adorned with paintings of roses from the now famous Lindblum artist, Michael Aspiair. Cherry wood furniture lined the walls with their rose engravings. In a corner of the room stood a full view mirror that faced diagonal of the bed and balcony, to the left a large chest that remained locked.

Aside from the chest, the room did not reflect personal belonging to Garnet at all. However, inside the chest were the only memories she had left of her adventures two years ago. Contents unknown to the rest of them, she knew exactly what was inside, and only once a year did it ever get opened.

She walked up to her full length mirror and looked at her own reflection. Naked, she lifted her chin and stood tall, looking at the womanly figure before her. Had two years changed her, was she any different than before? Did she even look like a Queen over the Alexandrian grounds?

She lowered her gaze and turned around, back towards the adjoining room entrance where she was met with the humid air from the drawn hot bath for her. Inside the room was the large in ground bath, steps leading down into the water where she could comfortably bathe. The room was painted with a soft pink and the floors were a matching pink marble. Much like the rest of the Castle, the room was decorated with roses, including the gold trimming bordering the walls. Up above, the ceiling was an open glass window where she could gaze comfortably at the morning sky and the midnight stars. All these features and add-ons were all her Uncle and Aunt's doing. It had been a special gift for her during some of her hard times when she would often think of her Mother, the destruction of her Kingdom, and more frequently on her mind, Zidane.

Her smile faded into an even sadder one. She approached the tinted red water and dipped a toe in before walking down the steps and completely submerging her body in the large bath. With a sigh of relief and ease, she rested against the side of the bath, leaning her head back and looking up through the roof at the darkening sky. Clouds hid the stars from her view and rain patted consistently on the glass. Low rumbles still echoed through the Castle and light continued to flash throughout the clouds.

"So," She whispered, "The Iifa Tree..." She closed her eyes tightly, taking a moment in absent mind. She sank slowly beneath the water, feeling her hair wave through the ripples she made. Opening her mouth, she gasped, what she tried to speak out, a single word only beneath the rosey water;

"Zidane..."

...  
...

"I'm afraid that's another one this week, Miss Mikoto." A worried Black Mage stood before the blond girl in pink. A somewhat serious expression paved her face.

"I see. That's the twelfth one of my kind to succumb to this energy drainage." Her monotone voice faded out. She had refused to consider her kind 'sick', she didn't even understand the word herself.

"Miss Mikoto," The Black Mage managed her attention once more, "I know you have your own reasons to believe they aren't sick, but twelve of your people have already been bed ridden since the Mist started to thicken. Something is clearly wrong." The Black Mage made his best efforts to persuade the girl into a worried set of mind, but she simply stood looking at the ground to her feet.

"Perhaps," He started up again, "Perhaps we should send for help. This could be something serious. I've watched so many of my friends Stop, I don't want any of you to Stop either!" The Mage motioned his arms into his seriousness of words, "There aren't many of us left as it is. Once Master Vivi stopped, the rest of them just seemed to-"

"I can hear him." The girl closed her eyes, as if tuning all else out of her mind.

"M-Miss?"

"I can... hear... him...," Her voice faded out, wincing as if in pain. She fell to her hands and knees, trying her best to hold her weight as she panted.

"Miss Mikoto!" The Black Mage dropped his staff and quickly bent to help the girl, watching as she lifted her head to the sky.

"He's alive."

...  
...

A/N: I'm sorry this is so short. Beginning chapters are always a pain for me, but I wanted to set at least some things up & tickle your brains just a tiny bit. I've had this story idea for a while now but never got to putting it to words. Please understand that if you're a new viewer that I regularly update my profile updates with each new chapter, so feel free to jump over there, as well as read the other two Final Fantasy IX stories I've written so far.

& as always, I do not own Final Fantasy IX in any shape or form. Consider this the disclaimer for the entire story.

P.S. - If you decide to review, please understand that I have no beta reader as of this chapter, so if any typos, repetitive words or any odd errors occur, please don't address them unless you've got full intention of becoming a beta reader for me. More info is in my journal. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Edited the summary of the story so that it's just a tad bit more accurate. The silly things just don't give you enough character space. Still no beta reader, so please stay with me on any typos & grammatical mistakes.

:::

Dark, gloomy and damp with water; these were all that could be sensed. If you listened carefully you could hear it; It was alive indeed, the tightening and constricting of vines, the life that was moving and growing all around. These were what confirmed it.

A boy looked up, eyes half open. His body was suspended feet from the ground, blood running down his arms and to his wrists that were entwined with multiple vines. Heavy breathing was the only indication of life, though pain from thorns bleeding him dry made it miserable. It had been so long since he last awoke, he wondered if he was even alive to begin with.

Looking up, his surroundings were moving. All around him plantation moved and pulsed, very little light shining through. Enough air to breath, but his body was being crushed so hard that it was near impossible to get enough oxygen into his chest. Though at last his senses cleared. He tightening his fists, feeling the plantation wrap tighter around him. He was imprisoned, his very life energy being drained from him. And just as soon as he came to, just from a long deep slumber, he slumped back down, out cold from the alien world around him.

Echoing through, though, was a heavy beat of a heart. The louder and quicker it got, the tighter the plantation began to squeeze its victim dead. Faster and faster it pounded, a pool of blood almost spilling from the imprisoned boy, thick air and increasing vines made it all the more worse. Blood began to pool before him on the ground, feeding the plantation as it greedily slithered to collect it up. Quick pacing and yet incredibly terrifying, death was imminent.

Yet, there she was.

Garnet, clinging to her bed sheets, sweat rolling from her skin and down onto the sheets beneath her. Her chest raced up and down with her heart pumping so hard that it hurt. Her body ached and fell heavy, pulling her straight from a deep slumber. With a gasp she woke, jumping straight from the bed and sitting directly up. She gasped for air as if she had been deprived of it and placed a hand over the aching chest that pounded at her internally.

"Zidane!" She managed to choke up. Her face now buried in her hands, she began to tremble and cry. She had night terrors before of her past, but this was so wild, vivid and haunting. She could hardly control her body as it quivered in reaction.

It took many moments to pull her hands from her face. The night was still young and she had hardly a wink of sleep at all. A moments more pause and she turned her body over to the bed's edge before standing to her bare feet, a simple white gown falling freely to her knees. She could feel her legs wobble before her as the remains of adrenaline surged through her body.

She walked around the bed using what moonlight there was from the balcony as a guide. Low rumbles still echoed through the castle and a low hum of rain continued to persist from outside. She knelt before the chest in the corner of her room and glided her hands across the dusty surface, blowing on it before unlocking it with the hidden key she hid beneath the mirror stand that stood directly next to it.

From inside it she pulled out an orange jumpsuit that had seen better days. She plucked some lint and a stray blond hair from the outfit before burying her face into it, holding it tight as she reminisced of her past adventures, taking in the earthy smell that still clung to it.

"Zidane…" She managed again, a name that seemed to continue to escape her lips, "You idiot… you were always so stubborn and caring…" Light flashed across the room as a low thunder roll continued from outside.

With a sudden and alarming gust, the balcony doors shot open as a wild wind and rain rolled in violently. Garnet gave a quick yelp and jumped to her feet, startled. She struggled to close the doors as the wind fought against her but managed to force them shut, locking them in their place and then rubbing the rain and wet strands of hair from her forehead. She let out a deep sigh, wondering if her heart would ever have time to rest as it pounded against her chest once more. Her hands shook visibly and her knees felt weak.

She made her way over to her dresser, pulling a new night gown from the drawers. She peeled the semi wet gown from her body and quickly used it to sop up whatever rain water had been left behind on her body. She changed quickly and straightened her hair up before turning to make her way over to her bed. With a flash of lighting, the room lit up and made visible all in the room. A figure stood next to the bed, shadowy and hunched over, facing her as she stopped with widened eyes. Eyes gleamed at her as the light faded out, Garnet's breath caught deep within her. She could still see through the streams of moonlight that crept through darkened clouds and could tell the figure was male.

"W-who-"She backed up as he stepped forward. Another flash and instantly Garnet could see who it was who stood before her. In almost perfect condition, an exact to her memory of him, stood Zidane Tribal. Speechless, motionless, he stood as she hesitated in what she was trying to understand. Fear and confusion plagued her, she couldn't understand, let alone comprehend, what was happening, "Zidane…? It… It can't…" Her voice trailed out. She stepped forward, touching her hand to his. She could feel him; this was real, wasn't it?

"Zidane…"

A silent tear rolled down her cheek. She took another step forward and embraced him, disregarding all confusion and discerning judgment that she had. Cold arms embraced her and yet she felt warmth deep inside her. It was as if the world around her had stopped, even the rain seemed to cease. Everything fell silent, not a single indication of life outside the room. "Where have you been…?" She buried her face into him, trying her best not to sob, "Where?"

A moment passed again and yet no reply. She let go of him and stepped back to gaze upon him, feelings that she couldn't quite describe churned inside her, "Zidane, I…" Her hand dropped to her side, limp. Not even in a blink of an eye and her face turned expressionless as she peered into an empty room, as if no one but her had even been there. She could hear nothing but her own deep breathing. Her face grew hot to the touch as she flushed, her eyes narrowing as she clenched her teeth.

Too Good To Be true…

Had she finally snapped? Her chest fell heavy once again, something she felt as a common occurrence. Had she not just seen the boy? Her mind was playing tricks on her, her sanity was slipping away, she was certain of it. She promptly turned back to her bed and crawled into it, burying herself deep within the covers, hiding her face away from the outside world into her pillows. Deep down, she knew; her lost love was gone. She knew it took a toll on her, but never had she experienced it like this.

A sniffle could be heard, ever so softly.

Was this the reason she decided to marry? To rid herself of the pain she felt? She had been prompted so many times by different people, including her Uncle, to marry. She never decided who it was she would wed, it never mattered. She agreed for the arrangement on a few conditions, one being that only her Uncle Cid and her two Royal Guards were to decide upon whom. She could never do it herself. She could never do anything herself. Was this a way of coping? Accepting a loss that she knew was long gone even before she agreed to marry?

This time a more violent sob. A trembling body took control, pulling her into a fit. For a moment, she thought she was dying. Dying of a shattered heart.

…  
…

Try not to fall asleep. To them, you are strong. You are not weak. Do not panic, it will be over soon. Yes. Maybe try occupying your mind. Write some notes, that should help.

"My Queen?" Garnet snapped her attention towards an elderly woman in a bright blue gown that was sitting next to her at the table to her right. An overwhelming scent of some awful perfume emanated from the woman and had the tendency to make Garnet's eyes water whenever the woman happened to shift in her seat.

It hadn't been ten minutes since Garnet sat down for tea till she started to doze off. In efforts to receive more funding for various projects she had agreed to have gatherings once a fortnight with some of the wives of wealthy aristocrats. However today she found it rather difficult to focus. Bags under her eyes had been well hidden behind makeup, but the girl was still visibly exhausted. She couldn't have gotten any more than an hour's sleep since she went back to bed, but her mind seemed more stable once she left her room that morning. She began to wonder if maybe all had been a dream, that she was just still in a haze when she woke up in the middle of the night. Rather, she convinced herself so. Maybe she'd see the doctor sometime during the day. On the other hand, maybe he'd tell her she really was crazy… Maybe she wouldn't see the doctor after all.

"I asked your opinion on the matter of Madam Rose's husband. He does seem to have a bit of a wandering eye, but I can't see him the cheating type." The woman nodded, long earrings clanking as they sagged her earlobes downward.

"Nonsense! The man is a womanizer and you, as well as Rose, knows it! My, I wouldn't even be surprised if she was just simply using him for his money!" Another aristocratic woman of duck species spoke up, fanning herself as she lifted her beak in the air.

Garnet honestly had no idea who the woman were talking about. Aside from the elderly woman and the annoying goose, another two women sat with them at the table as they continued their gossip. Not that she ever held true interest in their choice of topics, but today she felt considerably annoyed with them all. She had almost decided to share her own opinion of the annoying women had Steiner not come in and interrupted them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Highness." The Knight saluted as he entered the door.

"Not at all, we were just finishing." Garnet stood as the women exchanged confused glances.

"But we've only just starte-"

"We _just_ started talking about things that really aren't suited for a man's ears, which is why we stopped." Garnet nodded quickly and pushed her chair in before the women even had a chance to reply, "Besides, Ms. Jennings seems to have already fallen asleep. I think that we can finish out talk for another day." True to her words, the woman was indeed asleep. They all glanced over at the elderly one as she made soft snores while sitting up. Everything about this woman was old and sagging; she couldn't have been any younger than ninety. Garnet couldn't help but wish that she didn't look as bad as this woman when she reached that age.

"Your presence is requested in the Grand Throne Room to greet our guests." Steiner was again expressionless. He and Beatrix had agreed to make things as easy as possible for the girl; however they were unsure of how exactly to act, especially during this trying week.

"Guests? We aren't expecting anyone till weeks from now, Steiner. Burmecia is still plenty busy with their expansion; I can't imagine they've arrived early." Despite this, she followed Steiner out of the room. They walked from the hallway and down a spiral set of stairs before entering the huge throne room. Once there she came to face three men, each facing Beatrix before turning to greet her.

"My Lady." One of the men bowed before her as she stood in front of Beatrix, Steiner joining sides with the General.

"Lords." She nodded, "To what do I owe the honour?" Assessing the situation she could tell that the man before her was an aristocrat by the clothes and cloak he wore. The two men next to him were clearly of lower rank but still wealthier enough to not be considered of lower class.

"My Queen, I'd like to introduce Lord Abner, head over the Lindblum Industrial District and Lord over the Abner Estates in the Northern sectors of Lindblum. He's also one of the lead directors who helped your uncle, Regent Cid, in designing the newest Air Ship, The Garne-"

"The Garnet Express, M'Lady." The man finished Steiner's introduction and respectably placed a kiss on the back of her hand, giving her a soft smile as she once again nodded, trying to understand the situation. Getting a closer look she could see kindness in the man's demeanor. His features were soft like his voice and his stature was slightly larger than her own. He had a round nose and light blue eyes that seemed to stick out from the dark brown strands of hair. Despite this, she could tell he was much older than her, however it held nothing back from his attractiveness.

"Your Uncle sends his regards. He was unable to join me on my trip due to some minor terrain complications within the city." The man smiled and Beatrix turned to Garnet as he finished speaking.

"Your Majesty, after much deliberation we've come to an agreement to send Lord Abner here before your trip out of the continent. We sent an overnight message last night." The General watched the girl smile. It pained her, but she knew what they were doing was the right decision to help the girl move forward, "This is the man we've come to agree upon for the marriage, Your Majesty."

"I… I see." Garnet spoke low, but knew it would alert the party before her, "Forgive me, Lord Abner, I had not anticipated your arrival. I can have some tea made if you'd like and we can talk in the Gardens while we wait."

"That sounds absolutely lovely." The man smiled and nodded towards the two men next to him and waited for them to leave the room.

"I'll ensure that everything is prepared, My Queen." Steiner bowed before the girl and made haste as he left the room. With a soft smile and a salute to follow the General made her way after Steiner as well, though silent in the thick air.

"Shall we then, My Queen?" The man outstretched his hand as they both made their way to the outside Gardens that the castle walls surrounded. Silence seemed to make the air awkward entirely, each unsure of the other and their feelings about the situation. Walking through the doors they made their way through one of the paths in the Garden and eyed the beautiful plantation around them. "Such a fine garden. I have to say I've never seen Alexandria, even before its destruction back a few years ago. Such devastating times, My Queen. You must be an awfully strong Woman, your kingdom looks stronger than it ever was before." His boots tapped against the pavement as they continued their way through together. Garnet was still silent, unsure of what exactly it was that she was feeling.

"My Queen, I'm not sure anyone really knows what happened during those trying times, or what you must have gone through…" He smiled at her and stopped walking a moment, trying to get her full attention, "However, you and I both know what changes an arranged marriage would imply. I want it to be known right now that I have no malicious intents towards you and your love for your people. If anything it is to benefit you in the eyes of your Kingdom."

"And you, Lord Abner?" She replied coolly, "What is it that you will benefit from this?" He smirked at that. She wasn't sure if it was amusement or annoyance that struck him, but he still kept his same composure.

"Something I'm sure that you would be beneficiary to, My Queen." He watched her fold her arms across her lap, hand over hand as the wind blew stray strands of hair from the trinkets that adorned the top of her head, "I need an heir. Someone who can take over my place in the Industrial District as well as inherit my Estates. I've no family to share such an inheritance, not even an extended branch within my bloodline, should I come to pass between now and the near future," He shifted his weight, "And you, my dear, need an heir to the throne."

That made her freeze. It had been something she knew she would have to address some day, but didn't consider investing time into until much farther down the road. He was right though. She had no heir nor family aside from her Uncle. Unbeknownst to many people she was not truly even a Queen by blood. She had been raised as the replacement of the deceased daughter of her mother's, of whom she shared an uncanny resemblance to. She was raised from then forth as a bloodline relative of the royal family, something that was hidden well from the people.

"Forgive me, My Queen, I understand these things must be very sudden for you after such difficult and trying times, however as you know, life can be fleeting. Someone of blood should take your place, even if you yourself aren't the purest of-"

"Lord Abner, if my lineage does not please you then I suggest you return to whence you came immediately." She was visibly annoyed with him and yet inside was shocked that he even knew she was not of royal blood. She gave him no time to reply, "However you bring up a valid point," She undoubtedly hated to admit but hastily changed the subject back, "If this wedding shall indeed come to pass then I request more time to get to know and understand you."

"I understand, please forgive me My Queen." He made a slight bow before looking her back in the eye, "I've no business back in Lindblum for the next three days. I'll ensure that we make good use of our time." He reached for her hand, stroking it softly as he gave her an assuring nod. She wasn't really sure how she felt about these plans, she didn't even know about the man up till twenty minutes ago. Truly he was a kind, wise to his trade and fairly good looking, even if he was older than her. He was by no means the worst she could do for a husband, if anything he was perfect on the surface. Though deep down she knew why she didn't like the man; the same reason why she wouldn't like any of the men they would have presented to her. They wouldn't be _him._ No one would. They wouldn't be nothing that she wanted by any means but everything she ideally needed in a husband.

Before she could think of something to say the man let her hand go and pulled a pocket watch from his breast pocket, examining the time that had passed since they made their tour of the area. "I believe it is due time for Tea, Your Highness. Shall we go? You look of in need of rest as it is." He snapped the watch shut and stuffed it away before leading her back to the building where a maid directed the rest of the way.

Once back inside they sat down together at a small rectangular table that had been placed next to a large arch fixed window that gave great view of the garden and perfect lighting for chat. Their tray of Earl Grey Tea was placed before them with a plate of assorted crackers and meats and another plate of small sponge cakes with a creamy filling that Garnet had favored ever since Quina had made it for her on her first birthday after they decided to take the Qu on permanently as a full time Master Chef. The platery had been decorated none surprisingly with hand painted roses, each individual and one of Garnet's favorites to eat and drink from. Their table cloth was a beautiful accent to the entire set up and gave it an elegant appeal.

A silent Garnet sipped ever so lightly on her tea as the man made conversation on about business, politics and small facts about his jobs. It wasn't that she was disinterested with what he was speaking of, but rather a bit in shock still of what was happening. Her world was going to turn upside down all over again. Wedding planners had already begun working weeks ago but she had never really taken the future wedding seriously let alone the changes that were going to unfold afterwards. 'Children', she thought to herself silently, 'I haven't ever lay with a man, let alone imagine myself as a mother to one's children.' A deeper part of herself couldn't help but wonder what her children would look like if she had bore Zidane's child. The very thought brought a small smile to the surface.

"My Queen?" A voice echoed in, snapping the girl from her thoughts, "I'm sorry to have bore you with such dull banter. I suppose you have to hear this a lot yourself."

"Not at all, Lord Abner, I just have a lot on my mind, please forgive me." She took a long sip of tea and placed the beautiful cup back down on the saucer with a low clank, "If anything I shall request that we drop all formalities if we are to be wed in the future." That made him smile.

"Very well," He placed his cup down and cleaned his face of crumbs left behind, "I'd love it if I could tour your beautiful home and town, my dear. Do you mind if we part ways after tea?"

"Not at all. I've got business of my own to attend to. I'll have a room set up for your extended stay right away. I'll send Steiner to retrieve one of his high ranking knights to escort you." She faked a smile as she looked back down at her cup. It was going to be a long three days indeed.

.

Tea couldn't have lasted any longer than ten minutes till they parted ways, something Garnet was thankful for. She continued her day by doing her daily obligations, meeting with some of the town folk with their concerns and engulfing herself into stacks of paper work on various subjects. Throughout all of this she had scarcely anything to eat and could feel what little energy she had deplete by late afternoon. Truthfully most of her tasks at hand were projects she took on during the previous year to keep her mind occupied, but now it was starting to catch up to her. She hadn't heard from Abner since early morning, knowing that he was being well taken care of regardless of absence.

She had finally managed to hide herself away in a scarcely used windowless room that only held a desk and chair on the inside. Next to a small lit candle she cracked open a book and began to read into the first paragraph, abandoning other work for a moments peace. It had been nice ten minutes of silence by herself till she had been interrupted by a knock on the door. She let out a sigh and called forth the person on the other side of the door. From the outside Beatrix stood with a tray of cheeses and biscuits, a glass of wine and a single small slice of red velvet cake that had been drizzled over with chocolate. Garnet felt a bit of relief as the General made her way in and placed the tray before the girl.

"My Queen." The General saluted, watching the girl wave at her as a signal to be at ease. She flipped a strand of hair from her shoulder and watched as the girl examined all on her plate.

"Beatrix how did you find me? I slipped almost completely unnoticed! Was it the maids?" The girl bit the tip of her finger, considering a moment of firing all her staff, if only for a moment's mental amusement.

"One of the guards. Unfortunately there is no privacy, My Queen." Beatrix gave a soft smile when Garnet chuckled, "I assume things went well this morning with Lord Abner?" The woman hadn't spoken about the matter since Garnet had been off doing work all day, not wanting to upset her by any chance while she was busy.

"He's nice," she sighed, "I can understand why my Uncle liked him."

"Yes, a shame about his marriage." Beatrix shook her head, as if annoyed in thought.

"Marriage?"

"Oh yes, Lord Abner was married three months before your Uncle was turned into an Oglop. I believe your Uncle considers this a form of repayment. I'm surprised Lord Abner said nothing about this, your Uncle was the reason why his marriage ended in the first place, finding time to meet with his wife, the source of Hilda's wrath no doubt."

Garnet was puzzled. Something he surely should have pointed out no doubt. It had been long since then, maybe he had just moved on? A bit sny on her Uncle's part, though. Nothing that surprised her at all. Still, she knew her Uncle wouldn't have selected him as a future husband simply to repay a debt. At least she hopped not.

"My Queen! MY QUEEEEEEEEEEN!" A high pitched sound echoed through the halls that had snapped both the women from their thoughts. Footsteps and armour clanged from down the hallway as a blue slick Moogle charged down the hallway, letter in hand, as two Pluto Knights chased after him, arms outstretched to catch the tiny creature.

"Get back here! We told you not to enter till we got word from Her Highness, Queen Garnet!" Back from the other direction of the hall the women watched as the Moogle and Knights ran pass the doorway again.

"What is the meaning of this?" Garnet walked out and watched as all three stopped and turned around. The Knights instantly dropped to their knees as the tiny Moogle ran pass them and up towards Garnet.

"The Moogle, Your Highness!"

"He ran pass us before we even got word to you!"

"Your Highness! Your Highness! I've got an important messa-" The Moogle took another step and slipped unexpectedly, sliding the rest of the way down towards Garnet's feet. He looked up sheepishly and stood to his feet, brushing himself off and handing her the letter.

"Artemicion, didn't you learn your lesson last time about putting products on your coat?" Garnet began opening the letter as the tired Moogle stomped.

"This time it's to help get rid of the colour! I can't get it off of my skin!" He huffed, "But this is an emergency, Your Highness! Straight from the Pointy Hat Village!"

"The Black Mage Village?" Garnet scanned the letter, a deep concern paving her face.

"My Queen?" Beatrix stepped from the doorway, watching as her Queen continued with the letter's contents.

"It's from one of the Black Mages. It says that most of the Genomes have suddenly fallen ill."

"I've seen it myself, Your Majesty! They're all in beds. I saw one collapse right in front of me as I was getting mail from Mogryo!" The Moogle flapped his little wings, "It was a long fly but I got here as fast as I could!"

"They seem to think it has something to do with the increasing amounts of Mist in the village. It says here that it showed up just as soon as they carved new homes from some of the old uprooting tree limbs that surfaced some time before." Garnet folded up the letter and put it back into its envelope.

"Limbs so big that you can make homes out of?" Beatrix shook her head, "I've heard of some large limbs that uprooted across the continent but this is bar far the largest account that I've heard of."

"I was going to visit the Iifa Tree next week but if the Genomes and this are connected somehow we should investigate immediately." Garnet looked down at the letter in hand; concern vividly featured her facial expression.

"And what of Lord Abner? Have you forgotten your guest already? Allow me to take your place, Your Majesty." Beatrix bowed, watching Garnet shake her head, her hair waving with her.

"I must go, Beatrix. This could possibly be the last time to visit, and my last time for a while to leave the Kingdom. I owe these people a great debt, and besides," She narrowed her eyes, "I think it's time for a final goodbye." Beatrix said nothing before giving the girl an understood nod. She dismissed herself silently and forced the two Pluto Knights to their feet and pushed them off as Garnet stayed behind.

"Thank you for your time, Artemicion." Garnet feigned a smile, "We will get things taken care of right away."

"Godspeed." The tiny Moogle saluted and walked over to where a tiny sack lay on the floor, discarded from his run earlier. With that he left the girl alone in the hall by herself to brood over the bad news. Standing there she debated on going back into her semi-private room and crying, but before she could even turn to the doorway she had been greeted by more company as Abner walked around the corner with his two men from where Beatrix and the Knights had left.

"My dear, what a pleasure. Pray tell, what is troubling you? You look dreadful." Abner approached her and watched as she kept her composure.

"Forgive me, some troubling news has arrived." She began to update him as briefly as possible, not daring to explain that Black Mages lived in a village together. After she finished brining him to speed the man nodded in agreement with her decision to visit in person.

"A wise decision, when shall we depart?" He watched the girl blink repeatedly.

"'We'?"

"Of course. I can't let my potential bride to be, Queen or not, go out there by herself." He smiled again and took her hand, "I wouldn't forgive myself if someone as sweet and beautiful as you were to be harmed."

"I-I see." She pulled her hand away. She was a helpless romantic herself but some how his words were so unbearably cheesy. However she felt guilty, he seemed genuinely concerned for her well being and safety.

"I can leave as early as tomorrow if that suits you. Though I suggest you sleep soon yourself, you look dreadfully tired." He motioned for her to move along as he followed behind, motioning with his head for his two men to disappear from their presence.

"I suppose you are right." She bit her bottom lip, wondering if him tagging along was truly a good idea.

…  
…

Staring down over the edge of the airship Garnet thought to herself while the crew behind her talked. She wore a simple brown hooded cloak that protected her from the cold wind. Beneath it she was dressed in a simple maroon dress that had been tailored with the highest quality. Black stitching gave accent to the dress along with a black undergarment that extended from the dresses sleeves and down to her wrists along with the final touch of a black corset that flattered her curves, much to Abner's and the rest of the crew's pleasure. Her boots were just as simple as the rest of her outfit, brown and folded down around her ankles. She also decided to wear brown gloves as an extra precaution. Nothing but a plain barrette held her hair together, and the wind wisped stray hairs freely as the ship was set northwest for The Black Mage Village. Much to her dismay Abner did tag along. She wasn't sure exactly how he'd react to the village people when they would land but she decided to cross that bridge when it came. Steiner was lucky enough to have been chosen to join her, Beatrix staying behind to ensure the safety of the town and castle. Garnet began to wonder if she was wrong in choosing Steiner, craving a woman companionship on a male invested ship. Ever since they accepted men under Beatrix's fleet she seemed to see less and less of the women around. She had always known that the men spoke openly about her appeal but the wandering eyes were starting to become unnerving. Another reason she adorned a cloak.

"Do you enjoy the wind, my dear?" A voice from behind her called out as Abner soon joined her side, "It's rather chilly out here, would you not rather sit inside?"

"It is nice fresh air." She continued to stare out at the landscape, wind continuously flapping folds of clothing and strands of hair on the both of them.

"Most of my business resided in Lindblum, so I never made it out this far. I believe the farthest I've traveled was to Treno."

"Is that where you met your Ex-Wife?" She didn't look up at him yet silently wondered if he was angry by her words. It took him a moment to react, not speaking up till she shifted her sight on another view.

"Ah, Rebecca. So you've heard of that, eh?" He sighed, "Forgive me for not telling you, my dear. It was not much of a marriage regardless. Indeed we did meet in Treno. I was attending an auction in my spare time while on a business trip when I ran into her." He smiled down at her when she looked up at him with more curiosity in her eyes.

"What happened?"

"I invited her to Lindblum with me. My, I'm surprised she even said yes. We agreed to marry shortly afterwards. She wanted my money and I wanted companionship. Though soon after I had learned that she was sleeping with another man when I was out working."

"My Uncle…" She sighed, It didn't surprise her from what she had learned in the past.

"Indeed. Surprisingly enough I still managed to work with him. Though what choice did I have? A surprise indeed when he summoned me and proposed the idea of an arranged marriage." He rested his head on his hand as he leaned against the ledge of the airship, smiling at his own thoughts.

Garnet said nothing for a while. They both stood in silence as they watched below as land turned to ocean. Inside Garnet felt all sorts of emotions, though she knew she had to steel herself. She had to preserve, prepare her mind, her heart, even the very fabrication of her soul for her visit to the Black Mage village, a place she hadn't been I quite some time. She had to ready herself for the Iifa Tree, a final good bye, an entire new life style; marriage, motherhood, her new future. Yet, somehow hearing this from him she felt connected. They shared something in common. Loss.

"I will." She spoke, watching as the man looked down at her, confused. She turned and looked up at him, straight into his blue eyes, "I will marry you, Lord Abner."


End file.
